cute idea, thanks!

the first question is easy enough for me-i would do the same as i do here in india today. i would go with the flow, try to understand and enjoy life as it was then without making the judgment that it was inferior to what i had been accustomed to. assuming others knew i was some kind of foreigner, when it was applicable i would use some little bits of knowledge and experience to share with others for the sake of their comparison, especially if they ask me.

as for the second one...i may think of something later, but for now i dont think anything would be relevant. i would go with a blank sheet of paper!

I'm going to assume that cities and government would be virtually nonexistent, and commerce would be impossible.

How would anyone do great? A life with no civilization leaves someone with few resources. One must find new means of sustenance. Of course, since government and oppressive laws would be removed, you would have much room to live. Money would be no object. I say it'd be horrible, though, because trading and selling becomes difficult. I depend on grocery stores and restaurants for food. How would I fare having to hunt down my own food, catch fish, and live off the land? And medicine can't be accessed. If small groups of people, 10-50, formed colonies, then you could spread your knowledge, and other people could teach you as well.

I'm supposing that you would be put into a very rudimentary iron age society. Of course, there are vestiges of civilization and what not, but the question is about what you would bring to the table once you got there. What would you do exactly to spur on the iron age society you suddenly became a part of if you possessed advanced knowledge (either what you know right now at this very moment or what you could put down on a piece of paper).

My critique of the whole situation is this. People in the 21st century do not know (or do not remember) how to live as well as people probably a thousand years ago because they are so far removed from self sufficiency. What I mean is that with modern society comes a more developed network of professions and technology where the everyday person does not need to remember how to hunt for food, make a shelter, and so on. So say you got sick, you would assume that you could possibly go down to the emergency room, get a penicillin shot, and it would all be better. But what if you were transported back a thousand years ago and got sick with the exact same thing (keeping in mind that you know full well a cure for your ailment exists). Would you know how to prepare penicillin for your sickness? What would you be able to do right off the bat once you were transported back in time a thousand years ago which would bring you (and your village or whatever) closer to your specific time frame?

So say in my own case I were transported back right now without anything except my body and a conveniently placed, time traveling loincloth for modesty. What on earth could I do to make my life more like the life I have now. I only know a few things which would be somewhat more technologically advanced. I know philosophy and law which are somewhat practical, but what about tangible technology. Practically, I know engines. It's been a hobby of mine since I was very young, from internal combustion engines to steam and sterling engine designs. If I were transported back to the middle ages without anything except my time traveling loincloth, I would be able to introduce steam-driven engine technology to the dirty peons of the middle ages. Steam technology could help drive mills and so on, so it may be somewhat valuable. But I know that I would have problems with metallurgy and forging techniques required to make the metals able to withstand the stresses of steam driven technology. I would also probably have a pretty good grasp of agriculture, irrigation, and cultivation? at least more than the common peon.

That's where the second part of the question comes in. So say I were transported back in time with only my body, my time traveling loincloth, and a single piece of paper with any technology described on it. I would probably put down on the piece of paper techniques in forging, metallurgy, where to find the metals, and stuff like that. On the flip side of that paper, I would write down the mixture for gunpowder, how to make penicillin (seriously, the black death does not sound like a vitamin capable thing), probably how to make soap, and how to make very strong metals. I don't know, I think that being transported to the middle ages and surviving requires very strong metals. LOL!

people here still make soap and chew on tree bark instead of buying aspirin, so i would assume all those things would be available back then. you could probably learn more from the people you met than you could teach...and it would be stuff you could use.

If worse came to worse I'd become a theif.
Worse would probably come very soon if not immediately. :Not-Impressed:

So you would say that because you would not personally be able to bring any technology from your present time into play, so you would become a thief?

For the first scenario, I`d be a hermit. No way I`m living with a bunch of stonecutters. I`m not going to give them mathematical formulas and engineering ideas so they can build their catapults and trebuchets.

I`d prefer to offer poetry as I have many lines known by heart from various poems.



On the sheet of paper I'd write down how to make my own paper as would be possible in whatever conditions I arrived in.

Yes, Vide. I would not be able to bring much, besides the ideas of the inventions, to the table. I don't know much. But being a theif would be easy as cake. Just need my hands and my wits.

That makes me feel stupid, not knowing how to do much of anything.

I would find something to write with and on, then go to work writing down every word and definition i could think of. Words upon words upon words. Then spread those words. I imagine the rest of my 21st century knowledge would expand through that act, whatever that may be.

Well if civilization disappeared, the first I'd do is make sure I fashion some spare glasses, get a few books to read, and make sure I never have to say the line, "It's not fair, there was time now!"

I'm surprised that their haven't been any aspiring Napoleons that would take that sheet of paper and write down the formulas to take over the world. Abstractly, it seems entirely plausible to do so. It would seem to me that one important little piece of technology from the future reproduced in the past would be a huge. Oh well...